Masaka Muslim leaders have been granted bail.

Four Muslim leaders who were accused with assault and causing grave harm to members of their congregation were granted bail by the Grade One Magistrates Court in Masaka.

Sheikh Abaasi Nseera, the Imam of Masaka’s main mosque, his assistants Hakim Nseera and Farouk Mulumba, and ordinary worshiper Moses Tamale are the four. On Thursday, they were remanded in government prisons in Sazza for crimes committed during a scuffle outside Masaka’s largest mosque in May of this year.

The prosecution claims that the defendants incited worshipers to attack Sheikh Yasini Kakomo and Hajj Abdallah Nusuru, accusing them of sabotaging Muslim property and leadership for personal benefit. On the other side, Moses Tamale, one of the suspects, is accused of threatening to murder Sheikh Ahmed Kayemba, the former Secretary General of the Masaka District Muslim Council.

The four accused were granted non-cash bail of two million Shillings apiece by a court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Grace Wakooli today. Each of their eight sureties was bonded for one million Shillings.

Meanwhile, Priscilla Nyakake, the prosecutor in charge of the case in Masaka, informed the court that, while she had no more objections to the suspects’ bail applications, their files had been completed and they were ready to proceed with their trial.

Last Monday, Nyakake told the court that the prosecution required more time to check the legitimacy of the accused’ bail application papers, some of which were in Luganda and photocopies. The suspects have been ordered to appear in court on September 21 to continue the case.

Sheikh Abaasi Nseera informed journalists shortly after his release that his predicament was orchestrated by a group of self-seekers who wanted to stir up trouble among the area’s Muslim leaders.

The Muslim faithful at Masaka’s main mosque are split into factions, fighting over property management and key leadership positions in the Masaka Muslim District Council.